(1) ①系动词seem可接形容词(或分词)、不定式、名词或介词短语作表语，或构成it seems that/as if等句型。
- She doesn't seem to like the idea.
她似乎不喜欢这个主意。 - He seemed (to be) in a great hurry.
他看上去十分匆忙。 - It seems (that) he was late for the train.
他似乎没赶上火车。 - He seemed even more anxious than I to get it done.
他似乎比我更急于办成这件事。 - She seemed lacking in enthusiasm when she was told of the invitation.
当她得知被邀请的时候，她似乎热情不高。 - No one seemed inclined to be involved in such a thing.
看来没有人愿意卷入这种事情。 - The children seemed all of the same height.
孩子们看起来一样高。 - Things are not always what they seem .
事情并非总是像看上去的那样。 - That's how it seems to me.
这就是我的感受。 - He seemed to me a quiet, sensible man, used to practical work.
在我看来，他似乎是一个平静、通情达理的人，习惯于做实际工作。 - It seems (as if) there will be an election soon.
看来很快就有一场选举。
②seem也常构成there seems/seemed (to be)的句型，表示“好像有，似乎有”，后面常接名词。
- There seems no reason for believing him.
似乎没有理由相信他。 - There seems to be something the matter with the girl.
这女孩似乎有些不正常。 - There doesn't seem to have been any difficulty over the money question.
似乎在钱的问题上没有什么困难。
③seem可与介词like连用。
- It seems like years since I last saw you.
自我上次见你，仿佛已过了许多年了。 - North Wales seems like a good place for a holiday.
北威尔士似乎是一个度假的好地方。
④如要表示否定意义，可以否定seem，有时也否定其后的动词，在口语中，更多的是否定seem。
| { | She doesn't seem to be at home. (较随便)
She seems not to be at home. (较正式) 她好像不在家。 |
⑤要注意seem与其接语间的时态关系：
- He seems to be ill. (=It seems that he is ill.)
他好像在生病。 - He seems to have been ill. (=It seems he has been/was ill.)
他似乎刚生过一场病。 - He seemed to be ill. (=It seemed that he was ill.)
他当时似乎在生病。 - He seemed to have been ill. (=It seemed he had been ill.)
当时他似乎生过一场病。
⑥ It would seem 比 It seems 更委婉、更有礼貌。
- It would seem /It seems that something is wrong.
似乎什么地方出了问题。
⑦美式口语中常用I can't seem，而英国人多用I don't seem able to或I seem (to be) unable to...。
- I can't seem to do that. (=I don't seem able/I seem unable to do that.)
我看来做不了那事。
(2) ①appear用作系动词时，等于seem，表示“似乎，看来，显得”，其用法也基本上与seem相同，既可接不定式、形容词(或分词)、介词短语、名词等，也可用it appears/appeared that和there appears to be...的句型。
- She appears to have traveled a lot.
她似乎游历很广。 - They appeared to be very friendly with us.
他们显得跟我们很友好。 - Mary appeared not to have heard what I had said.
玛丽似乎没有听见我说的话。 - He appeared uneasy.
他显得不安。 - The child appeared amused by the story.
小孩似乎被这故事逗乐了。 - He didn't want to appear a fool.
他不愿意显得傻里傻气。 - It appears (to me) that you are all mistaken.
(在我)看来你们全都错了。 - Very soon it began to appear that the research was not progressing smoothly.
不久就显露出来，这次研究进展得并不顺利。 - Things are not always as they appear .
事情并不总是像它们表面显现的那样。
②appear也可与so或not连用。
- It appears so/not, at least.
至少，它看上去是／不是这样。
(3) ①sound作系动词用时，表示“听起来”，可接形容词、名词、as if引起的从句或介词like引起的短语。
- This tune sounds pleasant.
这支曲子听起来很悦耳动听。 - His explanation sounded convincing/all right.
他的解释听起来很有说服力/不错。 - I was awakened by a downpour, it sounded as if the whole world were being flooded.
一阵暴雨把我惊醒，那声音就像是整个世界都要被淹没了似的。 - It sounds as if the government don't know what to do to tackle the problem.
听起来仿佛是政府不知该如何解决这一问题。
②sound有时也可跟名词。
- It doesn't sound a good poem to me.
在我听起来，它不是一首好诗。 - He sounded a warm-hearted man.
听起来他是一个热心肠的人。
(4) look作系动词的时候，意思与seem和appear相似，表示“看起来”。其后可接形容词、过去分词、名词、介词短语、不定式(主要是to be)、as if引起的从句等。
- She came in, looking pale and worried.
她走进来，看起来脸色苍白，忧心忡忡。 - The cool, placid lake looked inviting.
那凉爽、静谧的湖泊看上去优美迷人。 - She looked startled when the man came in.
那个男人进来时，她看上去吃了一惊。 - He looked a perfect fool.
他看起来像个十足的傻瓜。 - She looked about fourteen/to be a young woman of twenty.
她看上去大约14岁/是一个20岁的年轻妇女。 - Well, I may say, old chap, you're looking a different person/in splendid health.
嗨，我说，老伙计，你看上去判若两人/身体非常健康。 - It looks as if we shall have to walk to school.
看起来好像我们将不得不走着去学校了。 - It looks like rain/snow.
天像是要下雨/雪的样子。
